


Cryptids and Kaiju

by acedott



Series: Vanessa Gottlieb Appreciation [1]
Category: Pacific Rim (Movies)
Genre: Canon Compliant, I had a lot of fun with vanessa, M/M, Not Beta Read, Rated T for swearing, Semi-Slow Burn, everyone's gay bc I said so, linear narrative but semi-plotless, with my own take
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-25
Updated: 2020-03-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 02:40:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,251
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23317768
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acedott/pseuds/acedott
Summary: Connected ficlets about Hermann, Vanessa, Newton, and what they are to each other.
Relationships: Newton Geiszler/Hermann Gottlieb
Series: Vanessa Gottlieb Appreciation [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1774612
Comments: 2
Kudos: 23





	Cryptids and Kaiju

“Hey, I’m not going to be here next class. Can I get your number so I can get your notes?”

“Oh, of course.” Hermann fumbled to pull out his phone, then passed it over to the woman sitting next to him. She entered her number quickly and passed it back.

He frowned in confusion at the name she’d entered. “Loch Ness Monster?”

“To separate me from the million other Vanessa’s in this class. How are there six Vanessa H.’s in this lecture class alone?” She held out her hand. “I’m Vanessa Haile, by the way.”

He shook it and smiled. “Hermann Gottlieb.”

For the first time in his life, Hermann paid no attention in class and talked with a friend instead.

***

“Well, that was…”

“It sure was.”

Hermann and Vanessa lay in bed, trying to find a tactful way out of this situation.

“Hermann, don’t take this the wrong way, but I’m definitely gay.”

“Oh, thank heavens. So am I.”

Vanessa collapsed into laughter. After a moment, Hermann joined in.

“This definitely isn’t for me, but you’re going to make some man very happy someday. You’re not half-bad in the sack! And if you were actually attracted to the other person, and vice versa, I bet you’d graduate to pretty good.”

Hermann rolled his eyes. “What glowing praise.”

“Come on, baby, don’t be like that,” she teased.

He stood up and started to get dressed. “I can’t begin to fathom how you’re my best friend.”

“So will you still love me tomorrow?”

“Good night, Nessa.”

***

“What do you mean, you’re pregnant?”

A patient sigh came from the other end of the phone. “Well, Hermann, when a sperm comes in contact with an egg-”

“I know _how_ , obviously. I was there, if you’ll recall.”

“Yeah, that’s how we’re in this situation in the first place, Hermykins.”

“And you’re sure it’s mine?”

Vanessa scoffed. “Seeing as you’re the only action I’ve had recently that didn’t also have a vagina, yeah, I’m pretty sure.”

“Must you be so crass?” he muttered.

“No, but it’s fun. You’re so easy to mess with.” He could hear her smile even through the phone.

“You and Newton would get along swimmingly.”

“Ooh, your cute lab partner? The one with the ‘blue eyes you could get lost in?’”

“Yes, thank you, Nessa.”

“And the obnoxious collection of skinny ties that makes you want to-”

“I never said anything of the sort!” Hermann squawked.

“You complain about them a lot. I know the difference between you just kvetching and you complaining to cover up something.” She paused. “Hermann? I’m going to keep it.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I always knew I wanted kids eventually. I wasn’t planning on now, but my modeling career is in a good place for me to make adjustments. Plus, you know how hard it is for lesbians to adopt, or get IVF, or any of that. Especially a single lesbian.”

“Very true. I’ve got to go in to work now, but I will put in a request for some leave to come see you. We will work this out together.”

“Thank you, Hermann. Now go save the world.”

***

“Hey, dude, how was your vacation?” Newt hardly looked up from his precious kaiju entrails to greet him.

“Oh, busy. I moved the rest of my things out of my parents’ attic finally and into storage, I got married, I met with other mathematicians to get second opinions about my predictive model…” Hermann sank into his desk chair, still jet lagged and weary from travel. The pressurization of planes did his leg no favors, but it was the quickest way to get to Germany.

“You’re a literal genius, why are you second guessing your - Wait, hang on, you got _married_? Like, to another human being?”

“Yes, Newton, unfortunately for you, humans and kaiju are not permitted to marry so I had to settle for a normal human being. Her name is Vanessa. We met back in university and remained close ever since. While I was home visiting, we - made a connection, as it were, and decided to elope.” 

More accurately, his father demanded they get married to avoid a scandal or he would pull strings to completely defund the jaeger program, effective immediately. And they could tell no one about this agreement, for fear that it would make Lars look bad, or he had threatened again to pull the funding. 

Hermann’s childhood rule of never revealing anything he cared about to his father had been broken as soon as he designed the first jaeger. If Lars ever found out the depths of his unrequited affections for Newton Geiszler, there is no telling what he could force Hermann to do.

“Wow, that’s uh. That’s great. Mazel tov. I’ve been here for like 48 hours with no sleep, so. I’m heading back to my room. See you later.” Newt left abruptly.

He didn’t come back to work for another three days.

***

“We fucking did it, man! We saved the world!” Newton was rocking back and forth on his toes, happier than Hermann had ever seen him. His face literally shone with pride, his eyes sparkling. 

“We did indeed, Newton. And it’s given me a sense of clarity about something.”

“Yeah?” Newt asked hopefully. Still beaming, his expression became something softer. He stopped bouncing and instead stood very still, looking intently into Hermann’s eyes.

“Yes. I was initially quite reluctant about becoming a father, given my own less than stellar model of fatherhood.”

Newt snorted. “That’s like saying the kaiju attacks were suboptimal.” He grinned again. “Were, man! Past tense! Because of us!”

Hermann couldn’t fight the grin that spread across his face. The reverent way Newt said “us” made him feel lightheaded and giddy, too giddy to even point out that it involved more people than just the two of them. Now that they had been in each others’ heads, and knew what they were to each other, there was nothing keeping them from being an “us.”

“Because of us, my dear Newton.” The soft wonder in Newton’s eyes at that show of affection was unmistakable, and made him feel quite weak in the knees. “But as I was saying, all of our actions today made me realize that I am actually looking forward to being a father. To raising and caring for a child now that the world is safer for them. Alongside Vanessa, of course.” 

All of the happiness and awe drained from Newt’s face when he heard the name. “Right. With Vanessa. Of course you would want that.” He swallowed thickly. “You’ve got plenty of practice after putting up with me for years, right?. Hey, I’m exhausted. From saving the world, and all that. I’m gonna go crash. I’ll, uh. I’ll see you around, I guess.”

Hermann stared at his quickly retreating form with concern. But after all, he reasoned, it had been a very long and very emotional day. There was plenty of time to talk about their future together after they’d both gotten some rest. 

A week later, he found a hastily scrawled note in the lab from Newt. _So long, and thanks for all the fish_. 

***

“Newton, you don’t have to explain yourself to me.” Hermann said soothingly. “You were not yourself. Drifting with a kaiju brain twice surely left you vulnerable to-”

“That’s the thing, Herms, it wasn’t twice. Well, it was, but that wasn’t what did it. This is really pathetic, I know, but after we Drifted, I thought that. That you loved me back. Because I’ve been in love with you since we first met, maybe before, probably before, but I realized it when we met and I panicked and that’s why I was such an insufferable dickhead. Sorry about that, by the way. Anyway. I thought you felt the same, but the Drift must have messed up my shit real bad, because then after, you started talking about being with Vanessa and your son and stuff, and it just like really fucking hurt. It’s my own fault, I know, but I got my hopes up and then got them crushed and so. I just needed to stop feeling like shit. So I decided to throw myself back into work and drift with the kaiju brain again to see what else I could learn. And if it knocked me out or, or killed me, then hey, at least he died in pursuit of science and not of his broken heart, you know? And I don’t know if it was the baggage I brought with me that time, or if it’s just a three-strikes-you’re-under-the-Precursors’-control thing, but. That third time was what did it.”

“Newton-”

“And I tried, I _tried_ , to fight it, Hermann, I really did.” Newt had tears streaming down his face, but he didn’t seem able to stop talking. “I left that note, you know, as like, like a clue. Because I hated _Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy_ , but you made me watch it with you. So that was my hint to be like, wait a second, this isn’t something he would do of his own control. And then in the story, the dolphins were aliens who left Earth, right? That’s what I remember at least. So that was the second clue, you know, underwater aliens who have a way to move between Earth and their world. If you put that all together, you get me forced into something I don’t want to do plus underwater aliens equals come rescue me. But now that I’m hearing it out loud, that sounds really dumb.”

Hermann took his hand and stroked it gently with his thumb. Newt fell silent, watching the patterns Hermann created.

“It’s not dumb at all, Newton. If I hadn’t been blinded by my own heartbreak at your leaving, I would have seen it clearly. After years of working with you and our drift, I am fluent in Geiszlerian logic.” He smiled sadly. “As it was, I was too hurt to see the signs. Which I suspect was their intention all along in sending you away from me.” He lifted Newt’s hand and placed a gentle kiss to the knuckles. “But I am here now, my love. And I am not going anywhere.”

The same look of wonder Newt fixed him with all those years ago was on his face now. “But, what about Vanessa? And your child?”

“Newton, you have six PhDs _and_ you’ve been inside my head. Vanessa and I are both very gay. While obviously she and I would never work romantically, she is a dear friend and I am glad our...experimentation brought Isaak into this world. I genuinely treasure my weekends with him. He’s a very kind and inquisitive boy. In many ways, he reminds me of you.”

“His name is Isaak? Did you...for me?”

“Vanessa’s grandfather’s name was Isaak. But privately, yes, I consider his name to be inspired by yours as well.” Slowly, hesitantly, Hermann brought his lips to Newton’s.

Newton made a noise of surprise, then eagerly kissed back. His hands held on to Hermann’s shoulders, and Hermann cupped his jaw, thumb lightly stroking his cheek. Their lips fit together as if made for each other, pressing softly but firmly. Both men poured all their love and loss from the last ten years into this kiss, along with a promise of years to come.

***

“Isaak is finally asleep, so we can get down to business.” She turned abruptly to face Newt. “So you’re who he left me for.” Caught off guard, he staggered backwards.

“What? He told me he...that you both...Hermann, am I a homewrecker?? Am I the other woman?”

“I believe she’s teasing, darling,” Hermann remarked drily. “It’s the only way she knows how to communicate, I’m afraid.”

“It is. I dig your tattoos! You’re just as cute as he described, too.”

“He talked about me?” Newt asked with a shit-eating grin, recovering quickly from his momentary panic.

“ _Constantly_. ‘Oh, Nessa, Newton is soo handsome! Woe is me, for such a beautiful man could never return my affections! I must console myself with mathematical equations.’”

“I certainly never said-”

“Hang on, babe, this sounds exactly like you, I have to hear more.”

“‘He may be a kaiju groupie, but now, I am a Newton groupie. I’ve listened to all of his band’s shitty music and read all of his works so much I have them memorized. Every day after work, I press a kiss to the life size poster of him I had made.’”

“Here are your bloody divorce papers! The implication that I had a _poster_ made up is absurd and grounds for divorce on its own.” He shoved a manila envelope at her.

“No, baby, please, we can work this out,” she deadpanned as she signed her signature on the papers with a flourish. Newton caught sight of the tattoo on her inner arm as she signed.

“Is that the Loch Ness Monster on your arm?”

“Yeah. We got drunk after graduation and thought it was hilarious; it’s an inside joke between us. It’s probably still my name in his phone, actually.”

“It is, because you’re a monster.”

“Plus, I’ve always had a thing for cryptids. I’m working on a book about cryptids around the world, in between modeling gigs. Do you think kaiju classify as cryptids? They’re real, which makes me think not. But then again, we can’t prove any of the other cryptids aren’t real.”

Newton grinned. “Oh, I like you.”


End file.
